It’s been a long time since I’ve done a recipe post… even though I’m cooking more than ever!!

Last August, my daughter and I opened a recreational cooking school called The Curious Kitchen. A month passed by and we decided to open for lunch (basically we had to pay the rent and the cooking concept had not taken off as quickly as hoped). Then we figured, “we’re open for lunch, might as well open for breakfast, too”…

It’s been about 8 months now, and the cooking concept took off! And so did our breakfast and lunch service! And our catering! And our private parties!

METHOD
Place olive oil in a large heavy saucepan and heat over medium-high heat.
Add beef and sauté until brown no all sides, about 4 minutes.
Add garlic, onion, tomato and spices.
Sauté for another 2 minutes.
Add carrots, garbanzo beans, raisins, beef stock and cashews.
Continue to cook over medium heat until the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes.
Add in the scallions and cilantro.
Taste and season with salt and pepper, as desired.
Serve over Basmati Rice and top with sour cream, if desired.
Enjoy!

Oysters… I love them any which way. Usually we eat them raw, but sometimes I crave a cooked oyster, like Oysters Rockefeller or a really light Oyster Stew. I was in the mood to create something different with the oysters. I opened the fridge and saw that we had 3 pieces of leftover bacon from breakfast, and voila – this recipe was born!

It’s so delectable the way the ingredients all meld together with the oysters and oyster juice. Be sure to get a great loaf of crusty bread to fully enjoy this dish!

METHOD
In a small bowl, mix the butter, parmesan, bacon, garlic, shallot, parsley, oregano, black pepper and paprika.
Set aside
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Shuck the oysters and place on a baking sheet.
Top each oyster with the butter mixture, dividing evenly among the oysters until it is all used.
Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, until bubbly.
Place the oysters on a serving plate and be sure to put all the leftover juice on the plate, as well (for bread dipping!)
Garnish with fresh parsley and lemon wedges, if desired.
Serve with hot crusty bread.
Enjoy immediately.

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